Killzone: Mercenary details surface, gameplay trailer

According to the magazine, “Killzone Mercenary” makes use of nearly the same engine as “Killzone 3” did for PlayStation 3. Guerilla Games has added some new gimmicks to the engine which allows the development team to make use of the PlayStation Vita to a greater degree -- likely referring to touch-screen game mechanics.

Visually the game is described as “gorgeous” in addition to the title having big draw distances. Character models are further described as “awesome” and the same is said for character animation. The magazine states the game is looking better than “Uncharted”, which is arguably the best looking game on PS Vita to date.

As for performance, the magazine reports that “Killzone Mercenary” performs at a stable frame-rate even when a level is highly active. PSX Extreme continues to describe the title to be similar to a “portable Killzone 3”.

Additional new information regarding “Killzone Mercenary” is expected to be shared this week on the PlayStation Blog.

A member of NeoGAF shared a breakdown of new information shared from PSX Extreme. Find the information below:

Engine is nearly 1:1 from PS3 version

They added a few new gimmicks to the engine, so they can utilize more PS Vita

Game is gorgeous, clear and crispy textures, big draw distances

Character models are awesome, the same with animation

Stable FPS even with gigantic action inside levels

Literally - game is like portable Killzone 3, looking better than Uncharted.

Killzone: Mercenary is scheduled for a September 17, 2013 release in North America. We also have a brand-new trailer for you to enjoy:

Killzone: Mercenary is a new first-person shooter in the Killzone series, developed specifically for the PlayStation Vita platform and powered by the stunning Killzone engine. Starting just after the ending of the original Killzone, and revisiting many of the events from the Killzone trilogy, the game puts players in the rugged combat boots of a mercenary named Arran Danner. Danner is a former UCA-soldier who has no qualms about taking on paid contracts from the ISA as well as the Helghast.

When a seemingly routine mission to evacuate the Vektan Ambassador and his family in Pyrrhus goes awry, Danner discovers that the outcome of the war could very well depend on the fate of the Ambassador’s young son. With both sides going to increasingly desperate lengths to get hold of the boy, he begins to wonder whether the price of victory is really worth the paycheck.

Comprised of nine single-player missions — each nearly an hour in length— Killzone: Mercenary delivers a full Killzone experience in a portable package. Completed missions unlock additional replay challenges, with a host of special objectives to accomplish. The game also boasts a full-fledged multiplayer mode with six maps tailored for eight players and three different game types, including the popular Warzone mode.

In keeping with the soldier-for-hire theme, every action in Killzone: Mercenary is rewarded. The better you perform, the higher your payout – not just in the single-player campaign, but also in the multiplayer mode. The wages you collect are deposited into a single bank account, so the money you earn in the campaign missions can also be used to buy gear and weapons for multiplayer matches, and vice versa.

Killzone: Mercenary makes full use of PlayStation Vita’s considerable input and graphics capabilities. It enhances the familiar dual-stick FPS control scheme with touch controls for actions such as brutal melee, and with tilt controls for accurate sniper aiming. The game even uses the powerful Killzone 3 engine to bring its massive environments and impressive set pieces to life. But don’t just take our word for it — watch the trailer above, and check out the new screens in this post.

Stay tuned to Killzone.com and PlayStation.Blog, because we’ll have a behind-the-scenes interview with game director Piers Jackson soon.

I hope the game feels more like Killzone 2 and less like 3. I felt a lot of the "variety" in the latter game was forced, and the world and atmosphere didn't feel nearly as consistent or engaging as that in 2 (or 1, for that matter).

Still on the fence with this one, but I love Killzone so hopefully this turns out all right. Not glad to hear about them "utilizing the Vita," though. That's PR for "We're going to force in some irritating and $#@!ty touch-stuff because Sony asked us."

Still on the fence with this one, but I love Killzone so hopefully this turns out all right. Not glad to hear about them "utilizing the Vita," though. That's PR for "We're going to force in some irritating and $#@!ty touch-stuff because Sony asked us."

Yeah we saw that on the trailer as well lol. Ah well. So long as it's not overboard I'm fine with it

Little information has been dropped on the hotly-anticipated PlayStation Vita exclusive Killzone Mercenary since its reveal at Gamescom 2012, but a report from Polish magazine PSX Extreme alleges that the handheld spin-off title will blow your socks off.

Specifically, PSX Extreme reports that Killzone Mercenary will utilize a very similar engine to Killzone 3, a game that's widely regarded as one of PlayStation 3's very best-looking. PSX Extreme describes the game as "gorgeous", and goes on to relish over Mercenary's extensive draw distances, detailed character animation, and visual splendor, which supposedly rivals or bests that of Sony Bend's PS Vita launch title Uncharted: Golden Abyss.

A gorgeous game is a shell without gameplay to back it up, and PSX Extreme attests that PS Vita-specific features are being used by SCE Cambridge and Guerrilla Games to flesh out the experience. The framerate is supposedly up to snuff as well; the magazine claims that Killzone Mercenary is stable and playable in even the most intense situations.

Any unconfirmed details should be taken at face value, but it's hard not to get excited for a full-fledged Killzone adventure on-the-go. Voice your hopes and dreams for Guerrilla's first PS Vita title in the comments below.

Killzone: Mercenary is scheduled for a September 17, 2013 release in North America. We also have a brand-new trailer for you to enjoy:

Killzone: Mercenary is a new first-person shooter in the Killzone series, developed specifically for the PlayStation Vita platform and powered by the stunning Killzone engine. Starting just after the ending of the original Killzone, and revisiting many of the events from the Killzone trilogy, the game puts players in the rugged combat boots of a mercenary named Arran Danner. Danner is a former UCA-soldier who has no qualms about taking on paid contracts from the ISA as well as the Helghast.

When a seemingly routine mission to evacuate the Vektan Ambassador and his family in Pyrrhus goes awry, Danner discovers that the outcome of the war could very well depend on the fate of the Ambassador’s young son. With both sides going to increasingly desperate lengths to get hold of the boy, he begins to wonder whether the price of victory is really worth the paycheck.

Comprised of nine single-player missions — each nearly an hour in length— Killzone: Mercenary delivers a full Killzone experience in a portable package. Completed missions unlock additional replay challenges, with a host of special objectives to accomplish. The game also boasts a full-fledged multiplayer mode with six maps tailored for eight players and three different game types, including the popular Warzone mode.

In keeping with the soldier-for-hire theme, every action in Killzone: Mercenary is rewarded. The better you perform, the higher your payout – not just in the single-player campaign, but also in the multiplayer mode. The wages you collect are deposited into a single bank account, so the money you earn in the campaign missions can also be used to buy gear and weapons for multiplayer matches, and vice versa.

Killzone: Mercenary makes full use of PlayStation Vita’s considerable input and graphics capabilities. It enhances the familiar dual-stick FPS control scheme with touch controls for actions such as brutal melee, and with tilt controls for accurate sniper aiming. The game even uses the powerful Killzone 3 engine to bring its massive environments and impressive set pieces to life. But don’t just take our word for it — watch the trailer above, and check out the new screens in this post.

Stay tuned to Killzone.com and PlayStation.Blog, because we’ll have a behind-the-scenes interview with game director Piers Jackson soon.

This looks $#@!ing amazing and it'll probably be the reason I end up getting a vita this year. I'm so pissed it took them this long to bring out these different styles of gameplay for a kz title. They better not backtrack and halfass kz4.

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